Signaling device



Jun@ @395g vfLEm/MWSPANN @9429@ SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Nov. 14, 1952 WWENTOR PAUL HERMNSPANN ATTRN Y Patented `une 2, 1935 STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNALING DEVICE tion of Germany Application November 14, 1932, Serial No. 642,567 in Germany December 2l, 1931 11 Claims.

rlhis invention relates to an arrangement for inductive or capacitive coupling at signal-rhythm between two aerial or loop circuits, especially for iiickei"-type direction finders.

It is known that the dicker direction iinder, as disclosed in United States Application Serial No. Gili-59% led Lune le, i932, operates in this manner that when the receiving aerial or loop is in the proper direction finding position constant volume reception is audible, while when the same is turned out of this position, flicker reception takes place, i. e., periodic iiuctuations of the volume of the signal received take place. Such periodic variations of the volume of the received signal are obtained by a second loop circuit, or a suitably tuned aerial circuit, being coupled with periodically varying polarity with the main loop.

It has also been suggested in said aforementioned application that the periodic coupling of the main loop and auxiliary circuit (either auX- iliary loop or auxiliary erial) should be effected at such rhythm or rate that it will be possible to tell by the sound of the received signal whether there has been a drift to the right or to the left hand side cf the proper course. It is particularly advantageous to cause such change in coupling at the rhythm of such signals as will result in, or become composed in the proper position to form, an uninterrupted dash, for instance, a and n.

Difficulties have arisen in the construction of the coupling switches between the main loop circuit and the auxiliary circuit. Purely mechanical circuit-changing involves the drawback of undesirable noises being introduced at the switching contacts. If the circuit-changer or switching device consists of an inductive coupling or a capacitive coupling, these means must be driven by jerks or intermittently in order that the desired switch actions at the rhythm of the signals may be produced.

Now, the present invention is concerned with inductive or capacitive coupling means of the kind before referred to in which, in spite of uniform mechanical movement, circuit-changes at the rhythm of the signals is feasible.

An arrangement of this kind shall be described with reference to the drawing in which:

Figure l shows a receiver of the flicker type; while,

Figures 2 and 3 show two exemplified embodiments of the improvement of the present invention.

The principle of connections underlying a flicker direction finder as hereinbefore referred (Cl. Z50-1l) to is shown in Figure 1. Referring to the same, E is the direction finding receiver, R is the main loop circuit, A the auxiliary aerial or loop circuit, and U the switch which is designed to rhythmically effect or operate the coupling between A and R. The switch U may in practice be operated in synchronism with a second switch, not shown, between the receiver output and the indicator, as described more in detail in the United States application referred to above. Said indicator may be visual, as shown in said application, or aural, or both.

In the case of an inductive coupling this reversal of coupling is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by connecting the aerial system A to a coil S mounted for rotation in the field of coils i, 2, 3 and li which are connected, as shown, to the loop aerial R and to the receiver. The coil S may rotate at a uniform rate about the point U. By observing the direction of winding of the coils I, 2, 3 and 4 it is apparent that the coupling between A and R by way of S, when S is passing over coils l and 2, is reversed with respect to S coupling when S is passing over 3 and il. It will also be noted that the coils are in series and that if the rotation is constant the coupling between S and the coils l, 2, 3 and is constant but reversed, and that the period of duration of coupling between the coils i and 2 and S is greater than the coupling between 3 and 4 and S. It can be seen from Figure 2 that for the form of coil as here chosen it is possible to insure shorter or longer periods of coupling between A and R., in the presence of a constant coupling coefficient (factor), in spite of the fact that the coil S is subjected to uniform non-intermittent rotation.

An exemplified embodiment to illustrate the use of the same basic idea in the case of capacitive coupling is shown in Figure 3. One coat of the coupling condenser, i. e., segment or plate l, is uniformly rotated above the coats 2, 3, 4, and 5 being of dissimilar size. Coats 2 and 4 are associated with point M, and the coats 3 and 5 with point N, Figure l. `Also in this scheme, in spite of uniform motion of the coupling means, dissimilarly long coupling times will be obtained in the presence of a constant coupling factor.

Having thus described my invention and the operation thereof, what I claim is:

l. A coupling system for directional apparatus of the type having periodic fluctuations in signal volume comprising a loop antenna, an auxiliary antenna, a rotatable inductance coil mounted for uniform rotation and coupled to said auxiliary Y antenna, a second inductance coil system i'lxed Y with respect to said rotatable inductance coil, said uniform rotation and coupled to said auxiliary antenna, two pairs of inductances, each of said Y pairs having a different coil length, coupled to said loop antenna and mounted in coupling relation to said rotatable inductance coil to provide a non-uniform eld.

3. A coupling system for directional apparatus of the type having periodic fluctuations in signal Volume comprising a loop antenna, an auxiliary antenna, a rotatable inductance coil mounted for uniform rotation and coupled to said auxiliary antenna, two pairs of inductances, each of said pairs having a diilerentV coil length, coupled to said loop antenna, each separate coil connected in series and mounted in coupling relation to said rotatable inductance coil to provide a non-uni `form eld.

4.Y A coupling system for directional apparatus of thetype having periodic fluctuations in signal volume comprising loop antenna, an auxiliary antenna, a rotatable inductance coil mounted for uniform rotation and coupled to said auxiliary antenna, two pairs of inductances, each of said pairshaving a diierent-coil length, coupled to saidl loop antenna, Ytwo of said coils arranged concentric with the center through which said rotating inductance coil revolves and mounted in coupling relation to said rotatable inductance coil to produce a non-uniform eld.

5. A circuit `for insuring electrical coupling at signal rhythm between a loop antenna and an auxiliary antenna circuit, especially adapted for direction `finder apparatus of the type having periodic uctuations of the signal volume, cornprising a plurality of coupling elements at least one of which is mounted for rotation and coupledV to saidrauxiliary aerial, and a second coupling element having a plurality of portions at least two of which are arranged in different directions toproduce a field, said two portions being connectedv so as to be opposed, said vsecond coupling element having at least two of its portions coupled to said loop aerial and mounted adjacent to other portions of said second coupling element to producearnon-uniform field when said first-mentioned coupling element is rotated.

6. A coupling system for directional apparatus of the type having periodic fluctuations in signal volume comprising a loop antenna, an auxiliary antenna, a rotatable electrical coupling element mounted for rotation and coupled to said auxiliary antenna, an electrical coupling system fixed with respect to said rotatable electrical coupling element, said system l,comprising four coupling members of two different areas, coupled to said loop antenna and mounted in coupling relation to said rotatable electrical coupling element to produce a non-uniform field.

7. A coupling system for directional apparatus of the type having periodic fluctuations in signal Volume comprising a loop antenna, an auxiliary antenna, a rotatable condenser electrode mounted for rotation and coupled to said auin'liary antenna, a condenser electrode system fixed with respect to said rotatable condenser electrode, said system comprising four condenser electrodes of two different areas, coupled to said loop antenna and mounted in coupling relation to said rotatableV condenser electrode element to produce a non-uniform eld.

,8, A coupling system for directional apparatus of the type having periodic fluctuations in signal volume, comprising a loop antenna, an auxiliary antenna, a rotatable condenser electrode mounted for rotation and coupled to said auxiliary antenna, two pairs of condenser electrodes, each of said pairs having a different capacitive area, coupled to said loop antenna, and mounted in coupling relation to said rotatable condenser electrodeto provide a non-uniform eld.

9. A coupling system for directional apparatus Y of the -type having periodic fluctuations in signal volume, comprising a loop antenna, an auxiliary antenna, a rotatable condenser electrode mounted for rotation and coupled to said auxiliary antenna, two pairs of condenser electrodes, each of said pairs having a dilerent capacitive area, coupled to-said loop antenna, each separate condenser electrode connected in series and mounted in coupling relation to said rotatable condenser electrode to provide a non-uniform eld.

l0. A coupling system for directional apparatus of the type having periodic fluctuations in signal volume, comprising a loop antenna, an auxiliary antenna, a rotatable condenser electrode mounted forrrotation and coupled to Ysaid auxiliary antenna, two pairs of condenser electrodes, each of said pairs having a different capacitive area, coupled to said loop antenna, two of said condenser electrodes arranged concentric with the center through which said rotatable condenser electrode revolves and mounted in coupling relation to said rotatable condenser electrode to produce a nonuniform eld.

, 11. A circuit for insuring inductive coupling at signal rhythm between a loop and auxiliary antenna, said circuit being especially adapted for use with direction iinder apparatus of the type having periodic iluctuations of the signal volume, comprising an inductance coil mounted for uniformrotation and coupled to said auxiliary aerial, and a second inductance having portions wound in diierent directions to produce a eld, portions of which are opposed, coupled to said loop aerial and mounted adjacent saidflrst coil to produce a non-uniform field in which said rst-named coil may be rotated.

- PAUL HERMANSPANN. 

